RN to MSN Programs in Tennessee

According to a January 2014 report by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), quality patient care is highly dependent upon having a highly educated nursing workforce.

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The Tennessee Action Coalition, comprised of representatives from all of Tennessee’s nursing programs, released a report for November 2013-January 2014, in which they discussed their goal of advancing pathways for a diverse nursing workforce to achieve higher levels of education and training.

As part of achieving this goal, the State of Tennessee has jumped on board with providing RN to MSN programs for its nursing workforce.

These programs are designed specifically for Registered Nurses (RNs) who have earned their Diploma in Nursing or Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) and would like to further their education at the graduate-level.

One of the major benefits of pursuing an MSN is more specialized employment opportunities, also resulting in higher salaries. Further, for nurses who are interested in pursuing a career in teaching in a higher-education institution, an MSN is considered an important pathway toward pursuing the doctoral education required.

Finally, a popular outcome of MSN-completion is Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) certification. APNs are educated at the graduate level and are qualified to specialize in the roles of clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife, or nurse practitioner.

The Tennessee Board of Nursing regulates 9,996 APNs as of January 2014. According to the AACN, there were 2,524 nursing students enrolled in a master’s program in Tennessee in 2013.

RN to MSN Program Offerings in Tennessee

Tennessee is home to several colleges and universities offering RN-MSN programs. Many of these institutions can be found in the following cities:

Collegedale

Germantown

Hendersonville

Jackson

Jefferson City

Johnson City

Memphis

Nashville

RN-MSN programs in Tennessee are designed with already busy, practicing RNs in mind. Accordingly, many RN-MSN programs in Tennessee offer students the option of part-time or full-time schooling, in addition to offering night and weekend courses, or courses that can be completed entirely online.

RN to MSN Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for RN to MSN programs in Tennessee may vary from one higher education institution to another. However, any of the following items may be required:

Graduate application, including payment of application fee

Proof of education/official transcripts of all post high school education

A minimum GPA requirement

Proof of RN licensure

GRE scores

Letters of recommendation

Personal statement

Resume

Physical Exam

Criminal background check

Drug screen

Immunization forms

In addition, applicants are required to be eligible to practice nursing in the state where they plan to complete their clinical practica, as a fulfillment of their MSN program requirements.

RN to MSN Program Structure

RN to MSN programs typically take up to two to three years to complete, depending on the student’s enrollment status as a part-time or full-time student and the specific requirements of their program.

Students beginning their RN to MSN program are first required to complete a specific amount of semester hours towards general requirements, or prerequisites. These prerequisites are baccalaureate degree-level courses. Because RN to MSN students have not completed a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (BSN), these course requirements are considered necessary to bridge the gap and prepare students academically and mentally for the graduate-level nursing curriculum.

The prerequisites, which are determined by each university, often take one to two semesters to complete and can include:

English

Chemistry

History

Religion

Computer Literacy

Social Science

Humanities

Natural Science

Statistics

Nutrition

Microbiology

For students who have already completed their bachelor’s degree in another field, several higher education institutions offer an accelerated RN-MSN track, requiring a lower number of prerequisite hours to be completed.

After completing the required prerequisites, students then begin their core, specialized nursing courses. These courses will vary depending on the student’s specific program track but can include:

Advanced Pharmacology

Advanced Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Theory and Ethics for Advanced Nursing Practice

Advanced Pathophysiology

Advanced Health Assessment

Organizational Behavior & Leadership

Clinical Prevention and Population Health

Informatics and Healthcare

Primary Care Provider Procedures

Primary Care of Family

Students may also be required to complete a specific amount of hours towards clinical practica, as determined by their university. These clinical experiences provide students hands-on opportunities to practice what they have learned in their courses.

APN Licensure in Tennessee

RNs who have completed their MSN are qualified to apply for an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) certificate. APNs are licensed specifically in one of the following areas of their choice:

Clinical Nurse Specialist

Nurse Anesthetist

Nurse Midwife

Nurse Practitioner

Qualifying for APRN licensure after completing a graduate degree or higher in one of the four specialized roles involves passing a national certification exam specific to one of the four advanced practice roles. Specialty role certification candidates can pursue certification and schedule exams directly through the respective certification agencies:

Once nationally certified, to pursue APN certification in Tennessee, candidates will first submit the APN application to the Tennessee Board of Nursing, who, upon determining the candidate is eligible, will issue their APN license. Along with completing the application, candidates will be required to submit the following:

Candidates will also be required to sign their completed application in the presence of a Notary Public before sending it to the Tennessee Board of Nursing. It may take up to four weeks for the Board to approve the applicant and issue their APN Certificate.

Employment opportunities for MSN-educated RNs

MSN-educated nurses are uniquely qualified to pursue several specialized employment roles. The following are examples of opportunities that may be available to MSN-educated RNs or APNs in Tennessee as of February 2015: